Dancing through Seasons
by Refia
Summary: The Triforce calls Link to Holodrum, where he meets Din, Oracle of Seasons. Onox, General of Darkness captures Din's powers and throws the seasons of Holodrum into chaos. Now Link and Din together must try to regain Din's lost powers.  Oracle of Seasons
1. The Calling

_Dancing through Seasons_

**1. ****The Calling**

Sunset over Hyrule had always been quite a sight, especially at the coast. Few things could equal the beauty of the golden sun sinking beneath the waves, setting the horizon aflame, making the droplets of water in the air sparkle like diamonds while the waves crashed onto the cliff. At other parts of the coastline, the salty water would gently roll onto the beach, and anyone who sat there then on the sand, watching the sunset, would quickly find himself lulled to a peaceful sleep by the sound of the waves and the cries of the seagulls. Or at least they would under normal circumstances.

These weren't normal circumstances.

At least not for the boy on horseback speeding along the cliff, entirely ignoring the beauty of nature that he could see if he just turned his head. But he didn't, and his blue eyes kept looking forward only. His straw-blonde hair ran in a forelock over his forehead, being blown before his eyes often thanks to the speed by which he rode. Two more locks ran down each side of his head, just before his pointed, elfish ears, but the rest of his hair was hidden beneath the green cap he wore on top of his head.

He wore a brown cotton shirt and white leggings that fit tight to the skin, and over that a green tunic reaching to halfway his thighs. A reddish brown belt with golden buckle was wrapped around his waist, and his feet went into sturdy brown boots that came up to halfway his calves. He had nothing with him, not even a backpack or a weapon, nor did it occur to him he might need those.

He was young, age sixteen, healthy and strong, and his name was Link.

An adventurous but kind spirit by nature, he had spent his life growing up as a farmhand, a honest and respectful occupation. He had worked hard on the fields, helped with the cattle, and when the tasks of the days were done he had raced with the other farmhands on their horses, teased the deku scrubs and made traps for the octoroks. His life had been on the farm, always. He had not sought or wondered about another life, content with what he had. But when he had woken up in the dead of night, cold with sweat after being plagued by nightmares, things changed.

The feeling grew in his gut that something would change, and as the nightmares returned more often and darker in nature, the feeling only grew stronger. Dark were his dreams of an unknown land in chaos, buckled under the weight of a dreadful shadow, waiting for someone to step up and try to change things for the better once more. This had gone on for a few weeks, until suddenly, after waking up yet again in the middle of the night, there had been the call.

The call, so insistent, so persistent. Almost like a voice in his head, one only he could hear. It beckoned for him, urged him to his feet, pulled him out of his bed. As if in a dream he had obeyed, gotten dressed, saddled his horse and galloped away into the night, his only guide the voices that called for him. Through the night, through the sunrise, through the day and now through the sunset he rode, never stopping, lured by the call. It was hard to say if he was even aware of what he was doing. Perhaps not, for had he been, he would certainly have called himself a madman and turned back. But he didn't, for he couldn't, almost as if an invisible presence lulled his mind to sleep and pulled his body along, spurring on his horse to ride without tiring.

And then, through the haze that had fallen over his mind, Link found himself on the top of the cliff, overlooking the ocean to his left, but the forest – and more importantly, the ancient, lonely castle looming over it – to his right. It was on that moment that he realised he had arrived at his destination, and the voices in his head grew all the more strong. Whatever the reason was for this call, he would find it in the castle. Almost blindly, the young Hylian farmer gently nudged his horse towards a path down the cliff, towards the castle.

**...**

Later, when he awoke from the trance the call had put him into, Link would remember the ride on the cliff, along the coastline. He would even remember seeing the castle and going down the path towards it. But he never remembered how he had dismounted at the gates and wandered into the unoccupied stone structure, the voices guiding him through the maze of long forgotten halls, down dark staircases into corridors even more ancient. All he remembered of his visit to that castle, was the blinding glow at the end of the path, in an empty throne room.

Vaguely he saw triangular shapes within the glow.

Vaguely he was aware of the burning sensation on his left hand.

But oh so clear was the feeling that he was falling, and even clearer were the voices in his head, so loud and booming that if they had been spoken out loud they would have shattered the walls of the castle. As one they said:

"_Accept our quest, Hero!_"

But there the memories would end, as all faded to black while Link fell. Endless his fall seemed, until in a flash of burning red light, he was no longer falling, was no longer in the castle, was even no longer in Hyrule. He was laying in the bushes, out cold, only to be found by a woman with flaming red hair.

**To be continued.**

**...**

_AN: So, after two years of being on hiatus, I have finally returned to "Dancing through Seasons". I make no promises of finishing it this time around, but for the time being, I'm feeling like working on it again. First of all I'm rewriting the chapters already posted, since they've become hopelessly outdated and I wasn't satisfied with a couple of them. I'm going to take some more liberties from the game, for both surroundings, dialogue, dungeons and in a few cases items. Worry not, though, it will still be a novelization of that fantastic game called "Oracle of Seasons", and will be recognizable as such._


	2. Awakening

_Dancing through Seasons_

**2. ****Awakening**

When Link woke up, it was to find himself in surroundings that were totally unfamiliar to him. As his eyes fluttered open, he needed a moment to let his vision adjust and become less blurry. Once he did, he found himself staring right up to the white sail of a covered wagon. Shock was the first thing that hit him. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was going to bed on the farm, and a few flashes of another nightmare. He groaned as pain lanced through his head, like a brief moment of the worst migraine one could imagine. In a flash, he knew he was wrong. He remembered more now, all of the sudden. He remembered his ride along the coast to the castle, and faintly remembered a blinding golden light.

It was strange, he realized. He remembered that he had done that, but he didn't remember _doing_ it, as odd as that sounded. He had ridden to the castle yes, but how, when and why, he had no clue, as if he hadn't been aware of what he was doing. In fact, that had been precisely what had happened. Link sighed and closed his eyes again briefly, trying to understand it. A futile effort, unfortunately. He didn't know why he had gone to the castle, leaving his home and friends without as much as a note left behind for them. He couldn't even remember being in the castle. Only the light, that blinding golden light.

"_Accept our quest, Hero!_"

The words came back to him in a sudden flash of insight, and he veered up, the blanket covering him sliding off him as he did so. The call, he remembered now. That irresistible, persistent voice that had called to him, lured him to the castle. That's why he had left, though that brought up more questions than it answered. Accept our quest? What quest? Whose quest? Who had spoken to him? Why had they spoken to him? Why _him_, of all people? Link groaned again and shook his head. Too much for a young man who had just woken up, he decided.

"Calm down, Link," he told himself. "One step at a time, like Tarin told you only a hundred times and more."

The young Hylian looked at his surroundings. He was in a covered wagon, laying on a makeshift bed near the back of the cart. Further in, he could see a couple of chest stacked on top of each other, a pile of blankets and two barrels. An oil lamp and three hams hung from the metal skeleton the sail rested on, together with some dried fruits. It seemed like what one would normally find in such a covered wagon, nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe somebody had found him and was now taking him home? He became silent for a moment and then discarded that idea, for Link had noticed the wagon stood still. He tried to listen for signs of the wagon's owner – or owners – but found none. Though what he did hear, was the sweet sound of cheerful music drifting towards him from somewhere nearby.

"A troop of performers, perhaps?" he mused quietly. "They travel in these kind of wagons." He had seen such things often enough whenever there was a fair in the village nearby the farm. It was time to stretch his legs, Link decided. He didn't feel ill, sick or tired, and he clearly wasn't kept prisoner in any shape or fashion, so it was probably okay if he went outside. Absentmindedly, he ran a hand through his hair, only to notice his hat was missing. A quick look around revealed that it was right next to his bedside, on top of one of the barrels. The blond quickly snatched it off and put it on. For some strange reason he didn't feel complete without his hat. Once Link was sure it was secured firmly on his head, he put on his boots – which had also been removed and were standing on the barrel as well – and climbed out of the wagon.

A soft breeze of fresh air immediately came to greet him, and carried along with it more of the soft cheerful music he had been able to hear even in the wagon. For the moment, Link ignored it, instead trying to figure out where he was. He was on a small field, beneath a lone tree in whose shade the wagon was parked. There were more trees, some shrubbery and low bushes nearby, as well as tall grass that came up to his knees. The wagon and the tree stood next to a dirt road, and Link could swear he saw a bridge in the distance. There were also rocky edges nearby, and when he walked closer to them, he realised he stood on the shore of a great lake, the water surface so calm it looked like glass. It was beautiful, and brought a small smile to his lips.

The teen then paid more attention to the trees and bushes that surrounded him, and quickly came to the conclusion he had never seen them before. These species of plants were new, though some bore resemblance to those he knew from back at home. But regardless of this, he had no choice but to accept that he was either not in Hyrule anymore, or in a part of it which he had never visited, a big possibility he had to admit to himself, since he barely knew outside the farm or the village. Still, he had been educated to the best of the possibilities in the village, and knew for a fact that, aside from exceptions like mountains or swamps, Hyrule had a stable climate, meaning most of the vegetation he knew from at the farm would also grow in most of the country. The climate here seemed very similar, and it was also spring to boot, yet still the vegetation was new. Another country might be likely. Though how in the world he had ended up here then, he could only guess.

The music drifted to his pointed ears again, reminding him that he wasn't alone and that he could just go towards whoever was making the music and try to get some answers. It didn't occur to him that the musicians might not be friendly. He grew up in smiling surroundings, and for all his courage and strength, Link never had met a truly unfriendly person yet. A quarrel with a friend, maybe a fistfight with a bully, sure, but a genuinely evil person? No. So he walked off, back to the dirt road, following it towards the source of the music. The further the road went, the more trees there came, indicating he was heading into a forest. He didn't have to go very deep, however. At barely five minutes walking away from the covered wagon, he arrived at another clearing, bathing in the sunlight.

The music had now become very loud, as Link had arrived at its source. In the clearing there was a small group of people. A campfire burned cheerily in the middle of the clearing, and around it sat three people. Two men, one joyfully playing a guitar, the other laughing while raising his tankard of ale in a cheer to the heavens. On the other side was a young woman playing a tambourine, laughing just as cheerfully as the two men. Not far from the campfire stood another covered wagon, next to which stood a burly woman, her arms crossed, smiling as she watched the rest of the troop. Looking around, Link noticed another man sitting on the ground, his back against a tree, also with a tankard of ale, cheering and looking in the same direction as all the others were. Link finally did so as well, his gaze drifting to the tree stump that stood directly in the sunlight.

That is when he saw her.

A beautiful young woman, nineteen of age, or perhaps twenty, with flaming red hair. She held it in a thick ponytail, held together by a golden ring. She wore a pinkish red body suit, with blue triangles on each side running over the side of her legs over her hips till over her breasts. The suit reached till halfway her thighs where it ended with cheerful white frills, and just above them were long red ribbons, connected to a golden triangle sewn into her suit. Her graceful feet wore sandals, and around her wrists and neck she wore marvellous golden bracelets. She was dancing gracefully and beautifully on the tree stump, and when Link saw her like that, bathing in the sunlight, he thought for a moment he was watching a goddess. He quickly understood why the others of the troop were all laughing and cheering, it was hard _not_ to with such a graceful, joyous dancer in their midst.

As he stood there watching the red-haired woman, the burly woman near the covered wagon he had seen earlier suddenly noticed him and went over to him. Link was so mesmerized by the dance of the woman he didn't even notice her until she spoke to him.

"Awakened at last, I see!" she laughed, her voice loud and booming. Startled, Link tore his gaze away from the dancer to face the woman. She looked at him with a wide smile, which eased him somewhat, since he felt it was genuine. She was incredibly tall and bulky, far more than any woman he had seen, and wore a red dress down to her ankles, with a curious design of three golden triangles coming together to form one large one embroidered in the centre. Green sandals covered her feet. She had red eyes, and her hair went hidden under a white headpiece that ran down her back, held around her head by a golden tiara.

Before Link could utter a reply, he nearly had his spine broken as the woman slapped him brotherly on the back. "Good, good. Very good! You got us all worried, boy. It's good to see you on your feet."

Link simply stared at her for a moment, before finally finding his voice. A quick glance besides the woman told him the others hadn't even noticed him yet, too busy watching the dancer. Not that he blamed them, not in the least.

Finally, he said: "Eh… yeah… thanks, I think." He immediately felt stupid for stammering like that, but the woman shrugged it off and laughed, her laughter booming through the forest. She placed a hand on Link's shoulder and led him along to the covered wagon.

"Come here, boy, you must be starving after such a long snooze. I hope you're feeling alright now?"

Link nodded once. "I don't think I was hurt, to be honest."

"Best to be safe, regardless," the woman chided. She walked to the back of the wagon and opened the sail. She pulled a basked towards her and fished around in it. Link couldn't see what she was doing, but soon enough she arrived with a hunk of bread and a slice of cheese, as well as a cup of water. She put them on a barrel which stood outside the wagon, so it could serve as the boy's table. "Here," she smiled. "Eat this, you look like you could use it. And while you wolf it down, we can get to introductions."

That seemed like a good suggestion to the Hylian, who only now noticed just how hungry he was. With relish he dug into the meal that had been provided to him. As he did so, he turned his back to the covered wagon so he could watch the dancing girl, who still whirled gracefully on top of the tree stump. Next to him, the burly woman did the same, her arms crossed as she watched the fiery woman dance.

"I am Impa," she said once she turned her head back to Link. "I'm the cook of our performance group. What can we call you, my boy?"

Link washed his current bite of bread and cheese away with a gulp of water, then answered: "Link, ma'am, the name's Link."

"Oh, you can call us all by our names," Impa immediately told him. "Everyone does around these parts. No sirs and ma'am here, only performers and musicians. And a camp cook, of course," she added, referring to herself with another booming laugh. Once she was done laughing, her attention was directed at Link again. "You brought along a lot of questions and worries, Link," she continued. "Din," she pointed at the dancing beauty as she did so. "Found you in the woods, and has been taking care of you ever since, staying with you through your nightmares. Which, I might add, you had frequently."

Din, Link repeated slowly to himself as he looked at the dancer. Her name was Din, just like the Goddess of Power that had created his homeland of Hyrule. It fitted her somehow, and he didn't find it offending in the least that some parent had dared to name their child after the goddess. Why he thought so, when he didn't even know her, he had didn't know, nor did he really care, too mesmerized by her graceful dance and beauty. Besides him, Impa laughed again.

"Caught your eye, did she?" the cook chuckled. "Ah, if I had a rupee for every boy that was smitten with her, why, I'd be as rich as the Princess Zelda."

Link quickly looked away from Din and blushed, like a child who had been caught stealing a cookie. He tried to cover it up by changing the subject. "You mentioned the Princess Zelda, are we in Hyrule then?"

"Nay, this is Holodrum, the land of Seasons," Impa told him calmly. "Home to the Temple of Seasons, which stands watch over the flow of the seasons from atop the mountain peaks." She looked at him curiously. "You have business in Hyrule?"

"I live there," Link explained. "I'm a farmhand who has got no idea how he got here or why."

"Ah, yet another mystery!" the burly woman chuckled, shaking her head. "Just how many more will you reveal you carry with you, Link? What happened that you do not know the land we stand in, or how you arrived here?"

Thus, Link gave her a short recount of what he did remember, not for a moment stopping to think if it was that smart to speak so loosely about himself to people he barely knew. But then again, so he must have thought, how could such a jovial, joyous group of people possible carry ill intent? Once he was done speaking, Impa's face looked grim and serious.

"It's no light matter," she said. "Of course, I am but a simple cook, not at all home in these mysterious cases and happenings, but even I can tell that what happened was no coincidence. You have a purpose here, Link, though what it is, I wouldn't know."

The farmhand couldn't suppress a snort. A purpose, him? What purpose could he have in life, aside from sowing and harvesting grain, mucking out stables, feeding cuckoos and training horses, the normal farm life, in short? Impa seemed to guess his thoughts and laughed again, slapping his shoulder so hard Link thought it would break.

"My apologies," she laughed. "Dear me, I don't know what possessed me to say such things. Now is not the time, in any case. You have a stomach to fill! Eat and join in our festivities!"

Link wholeheartedly took her up on that offer, returning his attention to the bread, cheese and fresh water on the barrel. As he ate, he watched Din dance, but often also turned to Impa and to inquire about some things, such as what kind of land Holodrum was, what her troop was doing here in the woods or what the quickest way back to Hyrule was.

"The decision is not up to me, of course," she said once answering to that last question. "Though I do not see any problems in it. You could join our performance group, Link, and traveller along with us. We're on our way to Hyrule ourselves, you see."

That was convenient, Link thought. "It's none of my business, so I'll understand if you don't want to answer, but might I ask why you're going to Hyrule?" the green-clad teen asked carefully. It was not proper to ask such things of people he had just met, so he had worded it as politely as he could, for he couldn't help and be curious.

"Ah," Impa said, and for a moment her face looked rather uncomfortable, but that disappeared so quickly Link thought he had imagined it. "A grand fair will be held in Castle Town near Castle Hyrule in a few months, and Din has always wished to perform in a big city. And with her talent, who could blame her? She could dance for the Princess Zelda herself."

"You flatter me, Impa," a cheery, melodious voice laughed from behind Link. The teen stiffened, startled. He had been listening so attentively to Impa he hadn't noticed that the music had stopped, nor had he heard the dancer approach, her sandal-covered feet making no sound on the grass and moss.

"Nonsense, Din," the cook laughed loudly. "I was totally serious and you know it." With a grin, she grabbed Link's shoulder again, Link wincing as he felt like his shoulder was being squeezed to powder. "You noticed your protégé was up, I take it?"

"I did indeed, and would have come to greet him earlier, if only Barrot hadn't been playing such a wonderful tune!" the voice from behind Link replied with a chuckle. Impa laughed again, and with a grin spun Link around. The young Hylian nearly yelped, but resistance was futile. As he regained his balance and stared at his feet, he was very well aware of that other pair of feet, wearing dancing sandals, that he could see. He could feel the heat in his cheeks rising, indicating he was blushing.

Slowly, Link looked up, coming face to face with Din.

**To be continued.**

**...**

_AN: More chapters will hopefully follow soon. For those who remember the original draft, you might already have noticed some differences in between this new version and the old. A slightly slower pace allowing for more development and description of surroundings and characters, as well as more deviation from the game. Hope it pleases._


	3. Din the Dancer

_Dancing through Seasons_

**3. Din the Dancer**

Link looked at Din's face briefly, couldn't suppress his blush increasing and he quickly looked away again, not sure of what to say or do. The sight that had greeted him when he had looked up was that of Din smiling pleasantly at him. Her red eyes had looked it him inquiringly, trying to catch his gaze, which he had fearfully avoided. Seeing his nervousness, the beautiful dancer couldn't help but laugh gently. Besides her, Impa did just the same, giving Link another slap on the back that nearly made his spine fly out of his chest. Seeing that Link was too shy to say anything himself, and Din was waiting patiently, Impa decided interference from her was needed.

"I believe introductions are in order?" she said with a laugh, looking from the blond Hylian to the red-haired dancer. Din nodded once, smiling widely, her hands on her hips and her gaze expectant.

"I believe so, yes," she said happily.

Impa patted Link's shoulder. "Din, meet Link, farmhand from Hyrule." She now placed her other hand on Din's shoulder, much more gentler than she had done with Link. "Link, meet Din, best dancer in Holodrum and beyond."

"Pleased to meet you," the red-eyed woman said, making a graceful bow before her guest.

"Eh… Likewise, it's an honour," Link managed to bring out, bowing respectfully before the woman as well, not wanting her to think of him as unmannered. Certainly not her, the woman to whom he apparently owed his life. With some minor effort on his part, Link managed to straighten himself again and look at the dancer before him without blushing. This seemed to please Din, and she laughingly took his hand.

"It is good to see you finally awake, Link," she told him sincerely. "You've had me worried while you slept. Truly, never saw someone have so many nightmares before." She shared a look with Impa as she said this, which almost went unnoticed by Link. Nevertheless, Din was still smiling. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Link replied, still a bit awkward, trying to sound confident. Briefly he glanced at Impa, then back at Din. "I understand that I owe you my life."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," the dancer winked. "I was just doing my last dance of the evening, when I noticed a red flash in the woods. When I went to see what it was, there you were, collapsed in the bushes." Her eyes looked up to heaven as she recalled that moment. "You weren't hurt, however, just out cold. All I truly did was calm you during your sleep."

"Still, I owe you my thanks," Link protested. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "So… thanks."

"You're most welcome," Din laughed, and she did a graceful twirl before coming to face him again. She looked him up and down from tip to toe, taking in every bit of him with a critical, calculating gaze. It unnerved him a little, and Link was happy when her wonderful smile reappeared on her face. "So much mystery surrounds you, Link, so many questions you bring with you. But me, I'm just glad you're feeling better." She took his hand again and started to tug him along with her back to the tree stump. "Come, have a dance with me!"

Link yelped and tried to resist as gently as possible. Him? Dance? No way, not even when such a pretty girl as Din asked him. As far as he was concerned, he had two left feet when it came to dancing. He looked around desperately for salvation. Seeing his plight, Impa laughingly came to his rescue.

"Give the boy a moment, Din, he just got up and had his meal," she said, stopping the dancer gently by placing her hand on Din's shoulder. "It's not good to dance on a full stomach. Let him settle down first and meet the rest of our troop."

Link expected Din to insist on that dance, given her great love for it, and was surprised when she didn't. The red-haired woman merely smiled, nodded and let go of his hand. "You're right as always, Impa," she said calmly. "I should have thought of that myself. Seems like my hospitality is running backwards."

"No it isn't!" Link protested, perhaps a little bit too quickly, causing both Impa and Din to laugh once more.

"That's very kind of you to say, Link," Din grinned, giving the flustered teen a wink. "I'll entrust you to the good care of our cook, then, for that tree stump is calling me insistently, and my feet refuse to remain still for a moment longer." She bowed gracefully again, and then left, her lean form almost _gliding_ over the grass to her natural stage, upon which she jumped elegantly and immediately began another dance.

Link watched her for a moment, mesmerized by her moves, then shook his head and turned towards Impa. Din was without a doubt the most peculiar woman he had met in his life so far. "Is she always like that?" he wanted to know.

"Depends on what you mean with 'that'," Impa chuckled. "If you mean kind, cheerful or friendly, then the answer is certainly yes. If you mean so eager to dance, the answer is also yes. It is her life, you see, and all she has to…" Impa stopped abruptly, not finishing that sentence. She turned her back towards Link rather uncomfortably.

"All she has to… what?" Link repeated, for once not wondering if it was any of his business.

"Nay, forget I said that," Impa told him, as politely as she could. "It is not good to speak of Din's personal matters behind her back and without her consent. It is up to her to decide if she wishes to share that with you or not."

Link frowned, not sure if he liked that answer, if he had to be honest. Not because he thought Impa was wrong, it was indeed none of his business and most unbecoming to speak of someone's personal life without permission. No, what bothered him was what this new piece of information seemed to imply. 'All she had to'… what? It sounded so depressing, to be fair. As if her dancing was just a device to help her carry some kind of burden. Unwillingly his gaze drifted back to Din, and he frowned. Could such a graceful, kind woman truly go buckled under some kind of burden? It seemed too hard to believe.

If Impa was at all aware of his thoughts, she didn't show it. Instead, she tried to change the subject. "Anyway, it's not good to dwell on these things. As I said before, this is a joyous day, let it remain so. I shall introduce you to the others."

That seemed as good an idea as any to the boy, and he let the tall cook lead him to the campfire in the centre of the clearing, around which most of the group sat. First of all, Impa pointed at the guitarist. "That's Barrot, our guitarist, and probably Din's favourite," she explained. The man in question wasn't aware he was being introduced, too busy playing his instrument so Din could dance.

"The woman with the tambourine," Impa continued, gesturing at the blue-haired woman who was tapping her instrument rhythmically in accordance with Barrot's melody. "Is Mel."

"The young man who shouldn't drink so much," the cook said, pointing at the man who sat besides Barrot. "Is Rishu. And finally…" She trailed off and turned around to point at the older man who sat against the tree near Din's tree stump. "We have Johvan, the leader of our group and Rishu's father." Link looked at them all and tried to memorize their names.

"Everyone," Impa boomed, though only Johvan, Mel and Rishu turned to look at her. Din continued dancing as if she hadn't heard a thing, and Barrot was too busy pleasing her by providing her with the melody she needed for her steps. Impa decided to ignore that and patted Link on the shoulder, shoving him forward a bit. "This is Link."

Mel and Rishu nodded their heads in greeting and both gave him a smile, but returned their attention to Din just as quickly. Johvan was less short on attention span, and he climbed to his feet to walk over to the cook and guest.

"Greetings, young man," he said to Link, tipping his head. "Finally got tired of sleeping, eh?"

"Greetings to you, too, sir," Link replied politely, bowing slightly. "I suppose I did."

"Good, good," Johvan nodded calmly, squeezing Link's shoulder lightly. A fatherly gesture, Link knew, and luckily it didn't crush his bones like Impa's grip did. "Had Din worried, you did, as both she and Impa no doubt told you already. You hungry, boy?"

Link shook his head. "No, sir, Impa was so kind as to give me a bite to eat just now."

"Ah, drop the sir," Johvan protested. "Makes me feel older than I actually am. Mustn't go _too _fast, you get? I age fast enough without youngsters in the time of their lives like you going around making me feel like an old rheumatic man."

Link opened his mouth to start uttering a hasty apology, but Impa was faster: "Knock it off, Johvan, you're making the lad here feel guilty."

In response, the troupe's leader chuckled lowly and held up his hands in mock-surrender. "Very well, very well," he said calmly. He winked at Link and grinned, making him look ten years younger already. "You forgive an old rheumatic man for trying to keep the mood light, yes?" Besides Link, Impa shook her head and could be heard muttering something that sounded a lot like 'hopeless'.

"It's alright, Impa," Link hurriedly told her. He looked a bit unimpressed at Johvan. "I have a foster father like that, I know how to deal with it."

The moustached older man laughed and straightened his hat on his head. "Ha, an old man veteran, yes? Why, this might become challenging yet." Then he calmed down and patted the side of Link's upper arm comfortingly. "But all jokes aside, it's good to see you up, young man. Feel free to join in our festivities, the more the merrier, after all." He did a step back and made an inviting gesture to the campfire. "Come! We have enough room to squeeze in one more, even with Impa around the fire."

That earned him a bone-shattering whack on the back, as well as a promise of no dessert that evening.

**…**

It became one of the oddest days Link had had the pleasure of living through in his life so far. Never before, not even at the faire in his hometown, had he come across such a jovial, free-spirited, cheerful group of people. The entire day was spent with laughing, jokes and jests, raised tankards and cheers, and of course, Din's divine dances. No matter how long she went on, she didn't seem to tire, nor did any tire of watching her. There seemed to be no end to her enthusiasm and cheer, or her imagination. Not once had Link seen her repeat a dance he had seen before. Every one she brought was new in a refreshing way. It was nothing short of amazing.

Link had expected that a day of doing nothing would go by slower than a snail, but nothing was less true. Before he was even aware of it, evening had fallen. It startled him, it seemed only an hour ago that he had awoken to find himself far away from home in a strange land with a group of happy strangers. Yet here he was, sitting by the campfire, seated on a fallen tree, a tankard of ale in his hand, cheering along with the others as they sang to Barrot's tunes.

After they had managed to take their gaze off Din for more than one second, the rest of the troupe had also greeted him properly, and despite his awkwardness at meeting new people, Link found himself in general getting along with them well. Rishu was a healthy young man in his twenties, who repeated a tad to often for Link's tastes how he was going to be a great warrior someday. Mel was a normal, down-to-earth, kind woman, level-headed and a voice of reason. A very welcome presence in a troupe where the two oldest men, Barrot and Johvan respectively, weren't afraid of some hearty jokes at the others' expense.

Impa surprisingly held herself back often, being content with staying near the covered wagon and taking care of the food. And as for Din, she barely left her tree stump or stopped dancing, only rarely did she come over to Impa for a cup of water, or flee into the bushes to heed nature's call. Even now she was still going on tirelessly, enjoying the last few rays of sunlight that came through the trees as the sun set behind the horizon.

"I can't believe the day went by so quickly," Link said quietly, to nobody in particular. He took a tentative sip of his ale. It was rather on the light side, which perhaps explained why Rishu downed so much of it without any signs of getting light in the head.

Johvan stopped roaring over a funny story Barrot had just told him to give Link a smirk. "Ha, time flies when you play music, sing and dance, young man."

"You shouldn't jest about such things, Johvan," Impa chided him rather sharply from where she sat near the wagon. She gave him a warning look. Link noticed it though, and frowned, but said nothing of it. It probably was none of his business.

"Ah, Impa, please don't spoil an old man's fun," he sighed wearily in jest. "It has been too good a day for heavy matters." He raised his own mug of beer in a cheer. "To the flying of time, dance and music! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Rishu and Barrot echoed, and they clanked their own mugs against Johvan's. The tree men downed a few large gulps of the alcoholic beverage, then broke down in laughter. Mel watched them and sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Boys will be boys, I suppose," she told Link. "No matter how many times I tell them to leave their theatrics for at the faire, they won't listen."

"Well, it's as you said, Mel," Link laughed softly. "Boys will be boys." He looked at the tree men at the other side of the fire, who were too caught up in their cheering to random things to hear him.

"Precisely," Mel decided firmly. Then her tone softened. "But enough about them. Let's talk about you! How are you feeling now, after a day without heavy farm labour? You are a farmhand, yes? Or did I hear Impa wrong?"

Link shook his head and leaned back a bit on the fallen tree. "No, no, that's absolutely correct. I am a farmhand at Tarin's Ranch. And to be honest," He let out a soft chuckle. "Not doing my daily chores and instead spending my day like this, with music and dance, well, it makes me feel guilty and lazy." The young Hylian laughed again, trying to picture how Tarin's face would look once he found out. He needed one of those picture boxes to capture that moment.

"Ah, let me ease your conscience," Mel said with a twinkle in her eyes. "It's not like this every day, rest assured. Often we ride on through the day, you understand, but after Din found you yesterday, we decided to set up camp here for a while." She nodded at the men. "Much to their pleasure, of course." Link nodded silently, not sure what more he could say to that.

After a brief silence, he said: "Seems my debt just keeps building up. Not sure how I can repay you all for taking care of me once you found me, and now you also agreed to let me travel along with you to Hyrule." Indeed, Link had spoken about it to Johvan, and once the troupe's leader found out Link's destination was in Hyrule as well, he didn't mind offering the lad a ride home. It would take a while, especially at this pace – which he didn't seem to mind at all – but they would get there regardless. Travelling in a group also was far more safe than crossing Holodrum and Hyrule on foot all on your own.

"Nonsense," Mel assured him. "We're glad to have you along. The more the merrier, as Barrot always says. And besides, I'm certain you can make yourself useful during our trip, which will more than make up for whatever you think you owe us. Which, admittedly, isn't much. You weren't hurt. We just gave you place to sleep and food."

"Still, it wouldn't sit right with me if I did nothing," Link replied. "I'd be glad to make myself of use as we travel. Tarin would have my hide if I didn't repay kindness in kind. Probably shout something like not having raised me like that."

"Tarin is your father?" Mel asked, interested, looking curiously at the green-clad youngster.

"Foster father," Link corrected her.

"Oh?"

"It's… well, no, it's not a long story, but a story nonetheless," came the rather sheepish reply. Mel chuckled warmly.

"If you won't find me nosey for it, I'd certainly like to hear it," she said.

"As would I," came a new, warm voice that never failed to send the blood rushing to Link's cheeks. The next moment, Din sank down gracefully next to her guest, looking at the blond Hylian expectantly, a curious smile on her lips.

**To be continued.**

**...**

_AN: Still haven't gotten to the imprisoning of Din's powers. Having too much fun fleshing Link, Din and her troupe out, I'm afraid. The names are taken from the Oracle of Seasons manga. Which, I might add, I haven't read, I merely found those names on the Zelda wiki._


	4. Stories and worries

_Dancing through Seasons_

**4. ****Stories and worries**

Link blinked dumbly for a moment, trying to process what had just happened, and looking quite the fool for it. Din's soft laugh shook him out of his daze, and he immediately felt stupid for constantly losing his composure whenever he was around her. It wasn't as if she had asked him anything embarrassing, she just wanted to hear his story, like Mel did. Nothing to get flustered over. He took a deep breath and calmed himself, then nodded.

"It's nothing spectacular," he warned them.

"It doesn't have to be," Mel assured the Hylian. "As my mom always used to say: the more ordinary, the better. Less chance you find misfortune on your way." Link mused over that little titbit of wisdom for a moment, but Din urged him on, wanting to know more about her guest.

"Well, to begin with, I don't really remember my real parents," Link began calmly, leaning back a bit, supporting on his hands while he stared in the fire. "Like so many, they fell to the plague that swept across Hyrule when I was only two or so. It's not uncommon to find orphans from around that period."

"That's true," Mel nodded, interrupting him briefly. She had a thoughtful look on her face as if she had been there back then. "It was a very trying time for the Kingdom, I remember."

Link nodded, not knowing what else he could add to that, so he just continued with his story. "I got taken in by a farmer named Tarin and his wife Romania, and they became kinda like my foster parents, even if I was never officially adopted or anything. Tarin's not rich by any means, but his farm fares well and he does good business, so he could take care of some people. Which he did, I wasn't the only orphan he took in. There were three other boys as well. Tarin and Romania only had a daughter, you see, and though she's the best, Marin's just not fit for taking over the farm later. It's a man's job, in the end, and me and my 'brothers' were raised to be just that."

"Ah, so he only wanted to secure the future of his farm, is that it?" Din observed curiously. Link was quick to correct her.

"No, it was genuine kindness on his part, but he also could use the hand once we grew up. And we did just that, we were raised to be farmhands, and the trade was taught to us from the moment we were old enough," the green-clad teen explained. "Coupling kindness with usefulness is how I see it. And Tarin cares for us and always saw us as his sons and nothing less."

"You were lucky, then," Din smiled.

Link nodded solemnly. "Indeed I was. I know of other victims of the plague that didn't have as much luck as I did. So even if the work sometimes was hard, and there was always a lot of it to do, I always kept that in mind to help me through. And besides, most of the time I genuinely enjoyed the work."

"There's nothing wrong with being a farmer," Mel said with a nod.

"Precisely," Link agreed with a smile of his own. "And when you're a child, a farm's a great place to grow up on. Even if I lost my parents, I still consider myself as having had a great childhood. Work aside there's always a ton to do, and whenever we had a free moment me and my brother were off exploring. And sometimes got in way over our heads, too." A grin spread across his face as he remembered those good times. Like that time the four of them had ambushed an Octorok, only to have them get in serious trouble when more showed up and started spitting rocks at them and sent them screaming back home. He chuckled. Now he could laugh with it, of course, but back then Tarin had given them hell for it.

"So as you can see," he concluded with a shrug. "Just a normal boy with a normal childhood who ended up here by a stroke of bad luck."

Mel shook her head and laughed softly, but then excused herself when she saw Impa mentioning her over. This left Link alone with Din, and the two sat together in comfortable silence next to each other for a while. Link found himself staring at the dancer next to him out of the corners of his eyes, but Din didn't seem to notice. She was also leaning back on her hands, one leg hooked over the other, looking up to the stars, humming softly.

"What about your childhood?" Link found himself asking her, much to his own surprise. He had let it out before he very well realised his mouth had formed the words. Din stopped humming and turned her head to look at him.

"Secret," she said smoothly, giving him a wink. Link fought the urge to roll his eyes. Figures, he thought. Then again, it had been a rather direct question, and in the end it was personal, too, and up to Din to decide if she wanted to share or not. It wasn't really any of his business. He looked at her again, only to find that she was still looking at him, though no longer amused, but very serious and silent. She glanced briefly to see if there was anyone within hearing distance, and when the answer to that was negative, she said quietly: "You're wrong, by the way."

Link frowned, not understanding what she meant. "Wrong?" he echoed, puzzled. "About what?"

"When you said you were just a normal boy who ended up here by a stroke of bad luck," Din explained. "You're wrong. It wasn't bad luck, and you certainly are anything _but_ a normal boy." Link's frown deepened, he still didn't understand what she meant or where she was getting this all of the sudden. She seemed so different, somehow. No longer joyful or carefree, but solemn and serious, as if she carried a heavy burden.

"Look at the back of your left hand," the dancer elaborated. "The proof of my words is right there."

Surprised by her request, Link did as told. He lifted the back of his left hand up before his eyes, tilting it a bit so the light of the fire could illuminate it. He was so used that his left hand looked normal that he hadn't paid any special attention to it today. Now, though, he wondered how in the world it was possible that he _hadn't_ noticed, because the strange mark that was now there stood out quite a bit.

Three triangles, standing together to form one large triangle, stood on the back of his hand. They were black, like scorch marks, as if they had been burned into it. In a flash he had a brief recollection of his time in the abandoned castle. More precisely, he suddenly recalled that he had felt a burning sensation in the hand that was now marked. Fiercely, he started to rub it, trying to see if it wasn't just a peculiarly shaped stain, or a bad joke somebody had painted on him.

"It won't come off," Din assured him calmly, still dead serious. She was looking at the mark as well. "That mark is the proof of what I said: that you aren't normal. It is a sacred mark in Hyrule, Link, nobody would ever even dream of painting or scribbling that on your skin. It is the mark of the Triforce."

The news hit Link like a strike of lightning and his eyes widened in shock. He _knew_ he had seen the mark somewhere before, and he cursed himself for his stupidity for not having recognized it himself. He had been educated well, after all, and even to a farmhand like him, he at the very least knew the legend of the Triforce. The relics of the three goddesses, the marks of Wisdom, Power and Courage, said to be able to fulfil any wish when brought together. He winced as another memory flashed before his eyes in a strike of pain. Hadn't there been a bright light in the castle, hadn't there been something triangular inside that light…? Wordlessly, Link stared at his hand.

"That image is often used in Hyrule, especially by the royal family," Din continued. "But it is _never_ tattooed anywhere on the body. The only way for a person to have such a mark burned in their skin, is when someone is chosen for a special fate. Like you."

Link looked up, startled again by her words, wondering when her surprises would stop. "A special fate? Me?" he repeated slowly, in utter disbelief. He fought down the urge to snort, knowing Din would take it wrong, seeing how serious she was. Partly he thought, or rather, wished, that she would burst into laughter any second now, revealing this whole thing to be a joke. But she didn't, her serious, solemn demeanour remained.

"Yes, you, a special fate," the dancer said firmly. "The mark is not to be taken lightly. Don't ask me what it means, why it was given to you or what fate it is, because… I don't know, okay?" The red-haired woman let out a deep sigh and stared in the flames of the fire, looking very tired and worried. "A special fate…" she muttered quietly, so quiet in fact that Link had to strain himself to hear her. Suddenly Din looked at him again, her face twisted in an expression he could only describe as desperation. "Link, I… I…" She faltered then, and her voice died away.

"Yes?" he asked gently, trying to urge her on, wondering if she would now finally let him on to that secret she seemed to have. To his disappointment, however, Din shook her head and looked away again.

"No… no, it's nothing. Nevermind, forget I said anything…" She sighed and climbed to her feet, dusting her bodysuit off with her hands. "I think I'll retire to bed now," she said quietly, turning to smile faintly at him. "Thank you for the story."

Link shook his head, not quite willing to let this all go just yet. "Din, you have to be mistaken, I'm just a normal teenager, just a farmhand!" he said firmly.

The Dancer nodded sadly. "You're right. You're just a farmhand, and I'm just a dancer."

This made Link frown again. Just a dancer? Considering how she insisted he was _not_ a normal farmhand, did she just now imply that she wasn't a dancer either? Not that anything she said now would surprise him, to be fair, but still. He got a bit worried. If she wasn't a dancer like she seemed to be, then who was she? An absurd idea welled up in his mind, and in his confusion at this whole situation, he said it out loud before he knew it.

"Din… You're not the goddess in disguise, are you?"

A moment of silence passed, in which Din stared at him with wide eyes full of shock. Then she burst out into genuinely cheerful and amused, loud laughter. That alone told Link what he had to know, and he felt incredibly stupid for suggesting it in the first place.

"N… no, I am not," the laughing woman said, amused. "I can assure you of that. I'm all made of flesh and quite mortal, trust me." She put her hand before her mouth to stifle another fit of loud, amused giggled. "The goddess, me!" She shook her head in amusement. And as he saw her like that, Link was actually glad he had said his absurd idea out loud. It had apparently shaken her out of her solemn, sombre mood, since she now looked genuinely happy and amused again. He liked her more when she was like that, it suited her so much better.

"Well, sorry," he apologised sheepishly.

"Don't be," Din laughed. "I'll take it as a compliment, thank you." She winked at him again. "But now I'm really off to bed. Good night, Link."

The young farmhand nodded. "Good night, Din. Sleep well."

"Thank you, you too," she replied, before walking away. Link's eyes followed her as she went through the camp and said her good night to the rest of her troupe, until she finally disappeared in the covered wagon near Impa. Once she was gone, Link bowed his head and stared at his feet, musing in silence about all that had just passed. Even a few hours later, when he too retired to his sleeping spot in the second covered wagon, he still laid awake for hours, lost in and troubled by his thoughts.

'A special fate', those three words kept echoing through his head, haunting him and keeping him away. He stared at the mark on his left hand, faintly illuminated by what little moonlight reached through the tree and into the covered wagon. Link kept looking at it, as if doing so would suddenly give him a flash of insight, or make him fully remember what had happened in the castle. It didn't, though, as expected, and the teenager tossed and turned in his bed.

Din had sounded so sure of herself, he remembered, so certain that what she had said to him was true. He had little reason to think of her as a liar, but it still sounded ridiculous to his ears. A special fate, him? He was just a farmhand, he kept repeating to himself. Thinking of himself as 'just a farmhand' made him remember Din's quiet hints that she was _not_ a dancer, which only further confused and troubled him. She had looked so tired, he remembered. What secret did that beautiful woman carry with her? It had to be something of great importance, but what? If she wasn't a dancer, then who or what was she? And why pretend to be a dancer? Not that she really had to _pretend_, since she was so amazingly good at the art.

The questions and worries just kept coming, and the answers remained frustratingly absent, for hours upon hours. Only when the night was already almost over halfway, when he was finally too exhausted to ponder, did Link drift away into an uneasy, troubled sleep.

**To be continued.**

**...**

_AN: Next chapter we'll probably finally get to Onox his attack. But I wanted to spend time on Link's thoughts as he learns he has a special fate to fulfil. In the game, Link of course doesn't speak, has no character, but I of course can't write him here as "Special fate? Okay, where do I start?". That wouldn't be realistic. Or interesting._


End file.
